Placing Holds

Using a library card "in good standing", patrons may place holds or "requests" on items in the library's circulating collection. When a held item comes back to the library, the library will notify the person who placed the hold using the method she or he has selected in her or his record on our automated system. Methods of notification available are postal mail, email, or text message.

To place a hold, you must first be logged in to your account. Follow this link to go to the log in screen for the automated system. You must enter the 14 digit barcode from your library card and your PIN which is the last four digits of your telephone number.

Search for the item you wish to place on hold.

When you find the item, click the "Place Request" button for the item.

A screen appears showing that the hold or request will be placed for you. The next step is to click the "Submit Request" button. The remaining step is to wait for the item to come back in!

Here are some frequently asked questions about borrowing from other libraries:

Can I request an item from another Library?

We will assist you in finding materials located at other libraries. We will attempt to borrow items located within the conterminous United States, Alaska, and Mexico. We will request photocopies from libraries anywhere in the world. Filling requests may take anywhere from 3 days to 4 weeks, depending upon the location and availability of the item.

The Reference staff accepts requests from patrons by email, telephone, and fax. Patrons may also feel free to submit requests through the Kansas Library Catalog. You will need the free Acrobat Reader to view the instructions, and we ask that you please read the instructions before submitting requests in this manner. Contact the Head of Reference for training in these methods and consult with the Reference staff if you have questions about filling out any online form.

Patrons may request up to 5 items per week through Interlibrary Loan. Persons who do not have a current Hutchinson Public Library card or an account in good standing will be allowed to order books for use only in the library and photocopies which will be supplied without a checkout process.

What are the Interlibrary Loan Policies?

Interlibrary Loan is the nationwide sharing of library materials. Items not in the Hutchinson Public Library collection may be borrowed for all registered patrons of HPL. Titles missing from the library's collection for a minimum of two weeks may also be borrowed through ILL. Multiple copies of the same title will not be borrowed except those needed for library-sponsored reading groups. Newly published materials will not be borrowed until six months after the initial publishing date.

Once items are received, the staff will contact patrons, notifying them of the arrival and date due back at the lending library. Patrons should pick up ILL items as soon as possible. The ILL items will only be checked out on the cards of persons submitting the request. Check-out periods for items on loan are determined by lending libraries and are set to ensure return to the lenders by their due dates. Some items come with no renewal permission from the lending library and must be returned promptly. Libraries allowing renewals must be contacted two to three days in advance of the due date. Patrons should not wait until the due date to pick up items. In such cases, Reference/ILL staff reserves the right to return such items and request them again at a later time, not immediately thereafter.

Patrons using items on loan from other libraries should treat them with care. Interlibrary Loan is a service we provide free to our patrons, but the cost of damages to, or loss of, materials on loan must be paid by HPL or the Kansas State Materials Replacement Fund. These charges will be passed on to patrons who damage or lose ILL materials. Charges for damaged items will be determined by the lending library. Payment of these charges does not necessarily allow the patron to keep said item - each library reserves the right to request payment and return of the items, as well. The HPL fee for lost ILL items is $25.00. If the lending library requests more, these extra charges will also be added to the patron's record.What are the Lending Policies for Other Libraries?

The Hutchinson Public Library is a KICNET library and an OCLC supplier who provides loans and photocopies free of charge. Staff from other types of libraries are encouraged to use the Online Request Form to request materials.

We lend all formats except bound periodicals. We lend all collections except non-circulating genealogical materials. Reference books may be loaned upon approval of the department head and will be for use only within the borrowing library. Items are loaned for a period of three weeks, and renewals may be requested for an additional three weeks. Items with holds on them may be checked out for a reduced amount of time, and all due dates reflect mailing time. We ask that you return audio-visual materials in boxes, otherwise, we provide a green mailing bag with a return address label.